Origin
City of Janesville, WI
Night in City of Janesville on Saturday
Local time
11:58 PM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from City of Janesville, WI to Silver Lake, WI
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 26m
Distance
123.2 mi
198 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$19
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 17m
★
6 AM
2h 27m
8 AM
2h 46m
10 AM
2h 33m
12 PM
2h 31m
3 PM
2h 34m
5 PM
2h 45m
8 PM
2h 21m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
City of Janesville, WI
Tom Fisk
Silver Lake, WI
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
Planning a 123.2-mile journey from the City of Janesville, WI, to Silver Lake, WI? This drive should take you about 2 hours and 26 minutes, making it a perfectly manageable day trip. With a fuel cost estimated at $19, it's an economical option for exploring the Midwest. The route primarily utilizes I-39, offering a straightforward highway-focused experience. Given its relatively short duration and straightforward path, no overnight stops are necessary for this particular trip, allowing you to maximize your time at your destination.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
61.6 miles from City of Janesville, WI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 10m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 39 | 100.8 mi | 1h 48m |
| State Highway 21 | 14.4 mi | 20m |
| Milton Avenue | 3.1 mi | 6m |
| West Main Street | 1.9 mi | 4m |
| West Follett Drive | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| South Cambridge Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Wautoma Road | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| East Milwaukee Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 39
— 100.8 mi, about 1h 48m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between City of Janesville, WI and Silver Lake, WI.
1
Start on East Court Street
148 ft
·
6 sec
·
East Court Street
2
Turn right onto Harrison Street
513 ft
·
26 sec
·
Harrison Street
3
Turn left onto East Milwaukee Street
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
East Milwaukee Street
4
Turn sharp right onto Milton Avenue
3.1 mi
·
6 min
·
Milton Avenue
5
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
6
Merge onto I 39; I 90
61 mi
·
1 hr 5 min
·
I 39; I 90
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 39
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
·
I 39
Exit 108A; 108B
Toward WI 78 South, I 39 North: Merrimac, Portage, Wausau
Use the slight right lane.
8
Continue on I 39
39 mi
·
42 min
·
I 39
Exit 108B
Toward I 39 North: Portage, Wausau
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward WI 21: Coloma, Necedah
10
Keep slight right at fork
154 ft
·
3 sec
11
Merge onto WI 21
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West Follett Drive
12
Continue on WI 21
0.5 mi
·
49 sec
·
Wautoma Road
13
Continue on WI 21
12 mi
·
16 min
·
State Highway 21
14
Turn left onto WI 21; WI 22
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Cambridge Street
15
Turn right onto WI 21; WI 22; WI 73
1.9 mi
·
4 min
·
West Main Street
16
Continue on WI 21; WI 73
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
State Highway 21
17
Arrive at destination
WI 21
Trip Plan
For this 2-hour and 26-minute trip covering 123.2 miles, you have excellent flexibility. Consider leaving in the morning to arrive with ample daylight. Since there are no designated stops, plan for a fuel and rest break before you depart Janesville, especially since the longest stretch on I-39 is over 100 miles. The $19 fuel cost is a good indicator of your budget. Keep an eye out for the transition from I-39 to State Highway 21, as this will signal you're nearing the latter part of your journey.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 61.6 miles from City of Janesville, WI, or about 1h 10m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 100.8 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 27 miles or 33m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 61.6 miles or 1h 10m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 53m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Silver Lake, WI than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving City of Janesville, WI so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from City of Janesville, WI
This is one driving day of about 123.2 miles and 2h 26m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 27 miles from City of Janesville, WI.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 39 for about 100.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
62 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 27 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 61.6 miles from City of Janesville, WI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 39 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 100.8 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 105.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Harrison Street
Turn right onto Harrison Street
Navigation decision point
5
4.2 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
I 39; I 90
Merge onto I 39; I 90
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
9
65.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 15m in
|
I 39
Keep slight right at fork onto I 39 toward WI 78 South, I 39 North: Merrimac, Portage, Wausau
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 108A; 108B
Toward WI 78 South, I 39 North: Merrimac, Porta...
5
105 mi into trip
|
~1h 57m in
Take the exit toward WI 21: Coloma, Necedah
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward WI 21: Coloma, Necedah
5
105.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 57m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$19.26 one way
$38.52 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
43 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $21.15 | $42.30 |
| premium | $4.89 | $23.71 | $47.42 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $27.20 | $54.40 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$19
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$44–$69
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 43.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 37 | 0 | $12.94 | $5.91 |
| Efficient EV | 30.8 | 0 | $10.78 | $4.93 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 49.3 | 0 | $17.25 | $7.88 |
Gas CO2
43 kg
EV CO2
14 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Silver Lake, WI
Night in Silver Lake on Saturday
Local time
11:58 PM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
46°F
Portage, WI
62 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
21 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 26m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This is largely a highway-focused drive, with 94% of the 123.2 miles on highways. You'll spend a significant portion of your time on I-39, which accounts for the longest uninterrupted stretch at 100.8 miles. Expect a consistent pace as you navigate this section. The inclusion of State Highway 21 and Milton Avenue introduces some variation, potentially offering a slightly different driving feel as you approach your destination. Overall, the road character is geared towards efficient travel.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 100.8 mi on I 39.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 39 and State Highway 21. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Harrison Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 123.2 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Harrison Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.2 miles (I 39; I 90): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 65.5 miles (I 39): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between City of Janesville, WI and Silver Lake, WI, road signs point toward Portage, Wausau and Necedah.
Portage
65.5 mi in
|
~1h 15m
|
via I 39
Wausau
65.5 mi in
|
~1h 15m
|
via I 39
Necedah
105 mi in
|
~1h 57m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 26m. Total distance: 123.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 100.8 miles on I 39. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Harrison Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.2 miles (I 39; I 90): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 65.5 miles (I 39): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Silver Lake, WI before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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